Parting Promise
by atree
Summary: In the middle of their training camp, Saki and Nodoka spend an afternoon together. Saki learns of Nodoka's reason for winning, and another promise is made.


Parting Promise

"Rinshan Kaihou, Dora 2. 1000/2000."

"What, again? This is the third time!"

"I'm sorry, Yuki-chan," Saki said sheepishly. "That's minus 2000 for you and 1000 for everyone else. It was just bad luck, I guess,"

"Bad luck…" Yuki fell on her back, staring at the hotel ceiling above. "Bad luck, bad luck, three times in a row? And I was in a good tenpai, too…"

Across the table, Nodoka piped up, "These things happen. Luck is a major factor in mahjong, so streaks like this are to be expected. We all get periods where we have terrible luck and start with bad hands, or when all we draw are honors, or when – "

Yuki scoffed. "Pft, bad luck? This is the third time today Saki-chan's had Rinshan Kaihou, and I don't think she's come in anything less than second ever since we started this training camp. Oh, why is this game so discriminating?"

Saki laughed nervously. "Well, it's not like I – "

"Nodoka's right, Yukki," their captain interrupted. "These kinds of things happen. I'm sure that your luck will improve in the next game."

"Next game, huh?" Yuki looked around mournfully. "It's already been six hanchan sessions and Saki-chan and Nodoka were first and second almost every single time. I doubt anything'll improve – I know! When something like this happens, it usually means I've been playing too long. I can't keep my concentration up. Plus, I haven't had a taco since lunch. How about we take a break, Hisa-chan?"

Their president looked reluctantly at the clock on the wall. "Well…"

"Aw, c'mon, Hisa-chan! We can go right back to mahjong afterwards!"

"Fine," their captain relented. "We _have_ been playing for three hours. Let's see – it's five o'clock, and dinner is at six. You can have the next hour to yourselves. Come back at six for dinner, and right after we'll get back to training."

Yuki jumped up. "That sounds great! Let's go, Kyoutaro! Come with me to the cafeteria!"

"Wait, what?"

"Thanks, Hisa-chan!" Yuki called, running out of the room with a panicked Kyoutaro in tow.

"Sheesh, even after I told her dinner's in an hour..." Rubbing her head, Hisa stood up. "Well, I'm off to the bath. I think I'll soak a bit before dinner."

"Ah, I'll go with you," said Mako, following her out the door.

The chirping of crickets drifted in from the window. Once lively, the room now lay empty except for Saki and Nodoka. The former started blankly at the door, contemplating what to do with the unexpected amount of freedom she suddenly received. Truthfully, Saki had wanted to play more mahjong, but the others didn't seem nearly as enthusiastic about it. It was only their third day at the training camp, and yet everyone's enthusiasm was already flagging by how hard the captain was driving them. Hisa hadn't been kidding when she said they had a lot of work ahead of them.

"Miyanaga-san?" said a voice to her left.

"What is it, Haramura-san?"

"I was thinking of going to the waterfall again. Would you like to come with me?"

"The waterfall? With you? Of course!" Saki said. "Er, just give me a few minutes to change."

After changing out of her pajamas, Saki left the inn with Nodoka. The late afternoon sun stung her eyes the moment she stepped out. It was spring, that time of the year when summer, though still far off, boasted gentle reminders that it would soon be coming. The air was warm but not humid, and filled with the scent of flowers and fresh grass. Walking along, Saki pulled her arms back to stretch out the kinks that developed with three hours of sitting down. Playing mahjong for so long had made her forget that the inn they were staying at was a popular natural resort. Here, outside, away from the city and any worries about school, Saki could forget about her sister and her mother and their disintegrating family; and take the time to breathe in the fragrance of flowers that filled the air.

And yet…She turned her head to look at the girl next to her, walking with her head high and spine rigidly straight in the prim march of a princess. Nodoka had changed out of her (rather revealing) night shift, and into a blue yukata with a red sash. Actually, Saki remembered, Nodoka had worn the same thing the last time they went to the waterfall. Perhaps she had forgotten to pack enough clothes.

Nodoka caught Saki staring at her. "What is it, Miyanaga-san?"

"A-Ah, nothing," Saki said, looking away. "I-It's been a while, hasn't it?" she hastily continued. "I mean, since we've had an early break like this. The president usually gives us some free time in the morning and night, but otherwise all we do is play mahjong. I wish the president gave us more time off."

"I, for one, am glad that the president is pushing us so hard," Nodoka replied. "There are at least forty other schools aiming for nationals, and compared to some like Kazekoshi and Ryuumonbuchi, our mahjong club doesn't have nearly as much funding or members. Plus, they have much more experience than us. We need as much preparation as possible if we're to stand a chance against those other teams."

Saki was impressed. "You know a lot about this."

"I've already talked with the captain and done research on the other schools. I thought that prior knowledge would be very helpful."

Saki smiled. Leave it up to Nodoka to be so responsible. "But don't you like being outside, Haramura-san?" she asked, spreading her arms and enjoying the sensation of the wind under her sleeves. "You sound like you'd rather study than have fun…Practicing for nationals is great and all, but don't you like being together with me like this? Walking together, talking, looking at the scenery – "

"I-I do like these things! I'm not some robot, you know," Nodoka interrupted, slightly miffed. "Of course I like having fun with my friends – especially with you. I just think that if we're to have any chance of winning nationals, we need to spend as much time practicing as possible."

Saki remained quiet for several seconds, lost in thought. Nodoka had begun to worry that her remark had upset her friend somehow, when Saki spoke again, voice full of curiosity.

"Haramura-san, why do you want to win nationals so much? I want to win because I want to meet my sister, and the president wants to win because it's her last year, but why do _you_ want to win? Pride? Is it because you won the middle school tournament and want to show everyone you're the best?"

Nodoka shook her head, slightly relieved. "No, nothing like that. I just really like playing mahjong, and the high school nationals is just a way for me to play against better opponents. I think enjoying mahjong, and playing as a team and working towards a goal, is the most important thing – besides, we promised to go to nationals together, didn't we?"

"We did," Saki said, smiling at the memory. "But wanting to win for such reasons as that…you're pretty noble, Haramura-san."

"N-Not really," Nodoka said. "I mean, playing and enjoying mahjong is still the most important thing…but maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be recognized for winning."

Saki giggled. "So it was for a selfish reason like that after all."

"N-No! I-I…"

"I'm just kidding, Haramura-san," Saki said. "I know you're not that kind of person."

"Ah…"

"We should be at the waterfall soon, shouldn't we?" Saki continued. "We still need time to walk back, and the captain's going to get mad if we – "

"Miyanaga-san…" Nodoka abruptly stopped walking. "About winning nationals – I have another reason."

"Eh?"

"I-If…" Nodoka lowered her head, unable to look her friend in the eyes. "I-If we don't win nationals, my father is forcing me to transfer."

Saki paused mid-step. She turned around, disbelief written on her face. "What?"

"My father has never approved of me going to Kiyosumi or playing mahjong in the first place. I was originally supposed to go to a preparatory school in Tokyo, but I turned it down so I could go to the same school as Yuki. He thinks that I should be looking more into my future instead of playing a game – "

"What? But he can't do that! It's your decision, isn't it?" Saki immediately protested. "You've already spent a month here, and he can't just make you transfer like that! What about your friends? What about the mahjong team? What about – "

"I know, Miyanaga-san!" Nodoka said in anguish. "But if he really wants me to transfer, then there's nothing we can do about it. I already had a hard time trying to get him to allow me into Kiyosumi in the first place – "

"We can convince him, can't we? We'll show him how much you improved, and after seeing that he'll surely allow you to stay – "

"My father believes that mahjong is a waste of time."

"But you were the middle school champion! That's something to be proud of, isn't it? Even if we don't win nationals, I'm sure that your father will – "

"I don't think so," Nodoka said quietly.

Saki stared at her. "No way," she said at last. Her shoulders slumped. "No way…He's really going to make you leave if we don't win nationals? Not just go to nationals – but _win _them? Against the strongest players our age in Japan?"

Nodoka nodded.

Fear gripped Saki's heart. First her mother and sister, now Nodoka…Why did everyone she love have to be torn away? Saki did not want to return to her old life. The loneliness that had been present ever since the destruction of her family, the pain her mother and sister left behind – for a time, both had been forgotten. When Saki had walked through the doors of the clubroom that day and declared her admission, she felt like she had been born anew. It was the first club she had ever joined. It was the first time she had talked to so many people. In the span of three days, she made more friends than she had her whole life. And the person that started it all, the one who had shattered her quiet world, was Nodoka. How could she risk losing someone who had done much?

"Then we'll just win nationals!" Saki declared firmly. She stepped close to Nodoka and clasped her friend's hands. "We'll win the preliminaries, go to nationals, and win those, too! As long as we all try our hardest, there's no way we can lose! I'll do everything I can to make sure that you won't leave, and I'm sure that everybody else will do the same. Our team – you, me, the president, Mako, Yuki – we'll show your father that mahjong isn't just a game. Once we win, he'll be forced to acknowledge what you really want to do. You'll be able to continue to stay at Kiyosumi with us, and play more with us, and go on more training camps, and we can spend days together like this again! So…so we just have to win!"

Saki stopped for breath. She had surprised herself with how much she had said – but she had meant every word.

"O-Of course," Nodoka said, taken back. "T-There's no point in worrying when it hasn't even happened yet. We can still win!"

Deep down, Nodoka knew that they had as good a chance of winning nationals as they did of winning that game in the mahjong parlor so long ago. Still, she could see the earnest expression on Saki's face, could see how much the thought of separation pained her friend. Saki's words rang in her ears. Nodoka gazed into Saki's eyes and found her own doubts slowly eroding. The lie she had just spoken suddenly seemed on the verge of truth. Saki was right, Nodoka realized – who was to say they couldn't win? They had some weaknesses, true, but that was the whole point of this training camp, wasn't it? Clearing the preliminaries would be a piece of cake, and once that was over with…!

"We'll definitely win," Saki repeated, letting go of Nodoka's hands. "Definitely."

Something stirred in Nodoka's chest – an inexplicable tightening, like some fist had closed around her heart. "Yes, we'll win!" she cried. Nodoka looked down at her hands Saki had clutched a moment before, and gently touched the side of her left pinky. "After all, we promised."

Saki's mind drifted back to that moment during the sunset. "That's one promise I definitely won't break."

The sun cast the clouds red and orange. Saki looked up at the sky, noticing for the first time that it was far darker than when they had left.

"It's getting pretty late now," she said. "We should probably hurry on to the waterfall."

Nodoka smiled. "I agree, Miyanaga-san, and – thank you."

"E-Eh? I just said what was on my mind, that's all."

"Nonetheless, it helped me a lot. I…I was really worried about it, that I would have to go to another school and leave everyone again, but you're right. There's no way that can happen. As long as we all try our best, and work hard to improve, nothing can stop us from winning. Thank you, Miyanaga-san," Nodoka said, then hesitated. "Except – can you not tell the president or anyone else about this? I don't want to put any unnecessary pressure on everyone else or make them worry about me. Everyone's already doing so much, and if I added something else to their troubles…"

Saki looked at her uncertainly. "Well, if you're sure…"

"Thank you. It means a lot to me."

"Y-You're welcome." Saki rubbed her head. "Er, we should get going. I think it's already been half an hour since we left…"

They continued along the road, the waterfall's roar growing louder and louder in their ears. Eventually, they emerged from the path into a mist-covered rocky outcropping strewn with ferns and boulders. Ahead of them the path twisted and gently sloped downwards. Saki and Nodoka followed the path until they reached the bottom, coming to a stop at a small pool at the waterfall's base. The water came up to their ankles. Here, the waterfall stood before them, surging down like a flood before peacefully merging with the pool at their feet. The spray stung their eyes.

Turning her head to shield herself from the spray, Saki stole a quick glance at Nodoka. They were standing close enough that their hands were almost touching, close enough that Saki could see the gleaming water droplets trickling down Nodoka's long braids. Nodoka, too, however, had turned at the same time (and perhaps for the same pretext) – and their eyes met and stared at each other for a fraction of a moment before they both looked away, a pair of luminescent crimson adorning each of their cheeks.

Saki and Nodoka both returned their gazes to the waterfall. But gently, delicately, like two unsure lovers, their hands sought each other out. Reluctantly at first but then with gathering confidence and courage, their fingers touched and slowly intertwined. Nodoka's skin was cool and smooth against her own. A spark of pleasure ran up Saki's spine. She continued to look straight ahead at the waterfall, looking for all the world like a girl fascinated with its beauty, buts its enchantment was nothing compared to the thrill she experienced from that one small component where she and Nodoka, however minutely, were joined as one.

"Nodoka," she whispered softly.

_Don't ever leave me._

They stayed at the waterfall until it got chilly. By the time they got back, cold and wet and sniffling but immensely satisfied, the sun was close to setting. They would surely be chastised for coming back so late. Before they left, however, they had made one last promise.

The two stood at the very edge of the pool. A few steps behind them lay the path to the inn. Saki took one last look at the waterfall, at the pool that sparkled beneath the sun, at the water droplets that glinted like diamonds in the fading light, and then turned to face Nodoka. When she spoke, her voice held no trace of doubt.

"Let's come back here next year."

Nodoka looked at her friend's determined face. A surge of hope rose in her chest. "Of course, Miyanaga-san. Next year, we will definitely return here. "

Saki brought her hand up, the one still intertwined with Nodoka's, and slowly separated their fingers until only their pinkies remained wrapped around each others. The two gazed into each other's eyes, reminded of a scene one month ago strangely similar to this one.

"It's a promise."


End file.
